Howler
by KLGTLG
Summary: Queen Poppy would do anything for her people, including taking Branch and the others into the forest to investigate something beyond their wildest nightmare...
1. Chapter 1

**AU: I do not own trolls – this is owned by dreamworks.**

 **Chapter one**

Branch woke up to the sound of soft, sweet singing.

'Almost like a lullaby' he thought to himself, a small smile pulled at his lips. He sat up slowly, eyeing the empty space beside him.

"Still warm," he breathed to himself quietly, his hand caressing the warm blue sheets where Poppy had slept beside him. Satisfied she was still nearby he laid back down and closed his eyes, enjoying the sweet music stroking his ears.

Then it stopped.

He pricked his ear up, trying to locate her. She was up to something.

"Morning, Branch!" Poppy almost squealed.

"Aah!" Branch screamed out, flinging himself out of the bed and landing on the floor. With a pounding starting in his head from the impact, he groaned and tried to sit up slowly.

"Poppy…" he muttered, drawing out her name. He peered over the bed from the floor and saw her grinning back at him. He rolled his eyes, a small smile playing on his lips as he managed to pull himself up onto his feet. His eyes soon landed on the tray of food before him on the bed. He nodded in appreciation as he admired the perfectly cooked scrambled eggs and the aubergines shaped like stars on his plate. Not to mention the freshly squeezed blueberry juice. She had an eye for detail and a heart that reflected onto her work. However, he knew she was after something.

"Now eat up, we have lots to do," Poppy decreed. Branch sighed. Another one of her crazy ideas no doubt. He stared at her, one eyebrow lifted, just waiting for her to explain. He knew she was up to something and no doubt it'll be something he doesn't agree with.

"Branch, before you start, its just a little hike into the woods…" she tried to convince him. Branch just stared at her like she was from out of space. His survivalist instincts were playing up. He felt himself shift uncomfortably, unsure of why Poppy would want to venture out there for. He knew what was out there, he knew how dangerous it could be and he certainly didn't like the idea of Poppy being out there.

"Poppy…" he drawled out, trying to encourage her to carry on and tell him why they were venturing out into the wilderness for.

"A few of the other trolls have mentioned something being… strange out there. They said they went camping out there and heard noises. Like screams and then howling and it scared them. Others have reported shadows moving along the outskirts of the forest near the village. I feel as Queen I should investigate and soothe their anxiety,"

"No," Branch finalised, crossing his arms. Her eyes soon caught his, both of them locked in a battle of will.

"Branch…" He almost laughed at her. She was trying to be stern with him, like a mother with a naughty child. He scoffed, still firmly in the belief he was in control.

"Fine, you stay here, but I am going, Branch." She nodded, determined, before spinning around and making her way towards the exit. He sighed. She'd won.

"Fine, I'll go put on some pants…"

"Right, is everyone ready?" Poppy questioned her friends, each one nodding in turn before her eyes fell on Branch. She knew he was prepared. He was always prepared for everything. He, however, stood there, arms crossed defiantly, his eyes trying to stare her down.

"Pop-"

"Branch, stop! We are going. Our people are scared, and we need to reassure them," He sighed. He knew she was right but that didn't mean he had to like it.

"Does anyone here even have any equipment? I think I can make out, maybe… 2 tents between the lot of you judging from your backpacks, and if any of you say you have a music player I will scream," Branch warned, feeling frustrated with them already.

"Good guess, we do have 2 tents, Branch, one for the boys and one for the girls," Biggie confirmed.

"Gonna be like a sleep over!" Cooper shouted excitedly, causing the other trolls in the group to cheer excitedly. Branch rolled his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"Anyway," intervened Satin, "That's why we brought you!" Chenille finished, a joint smiled shared between the twins.

Branch glared at them. His teeth clenched together in frustration. He might have his colours back, he might even enjoy the odd sing song here and there now, but his attitude was very much still intact, prominent in his being. The only thing that calmed him in that moment was Poppy's hand on his arm, her eyes pleading, begging him to agree and just chill. He took a deep breath and relaxed.

"I'm going in my own tent, and lucky for you guys, I'm a survivalist. I have all the stuff we could possibly need," He smiled triumphantly.

The others rolled their eyes but smiled at their new friend. They knew he meant well really, even if sometimes his concept of concern was distorted. Poppy smiled at her friends, feeling thankful they were trying with Branch. She knew it was a lot of adjusting for Branch, trying to move from a life of solitude to a life of singing, dancing and friendship.

The troll friends soon set off together and while the others were chatting and messing around, Poppy fell back slowly, easing her way to the back of the group where Branch was on high alert. She slipped her hand into his, his eyes moving to look at her. He could feel her anxiousness.

"Hey, there won't be anything out here, nothing scary anyway," He tried to soothe her. She tried to give him a confident smile but faulted.

"Branch, I believe these trolls. They were genuinely terrified. You could see the fear in their eyes, and for a troll that's crazy. Trolls are usually full of happiness and even when we are scared we try to think positive, but they couldn't see anything positive in this." She looked around, her mind racing with all the possibilities. Branch wanted to tell her it was nothing, that it was all probably just a misunderstanding, but he couldn't tell her that. He got lost in this forest a long time ago, he was only a boy, he'd run off, his deep depression had taken over him and he couldn't cope being around the happy bright trolls. Not so soon after losing his grandma. He thought he was going for a wander but ended up lost and scared. He remembered seeing something then. He wasn't sure what, but he never felt the need to know what it was… until now. He wanted to know now, he needed to know, not just for himself, but for Poppy and for the people of Troll Village. They needed answers and so did he.

They hiked through the wooded area for a good few miles before Branch called it. They needed to set up camp before the sun fully set. The space he'd chosen was open enough that they could locate the campsite if they ventured away and open enough that nothing could creep up on them without them knowing. With the satisfaction of the safety the camp area gave him, Branch set off helping to set up the three tents they had brought along with Biggie and Cooper, which left the girls to collect firewood and set up the fire. By their insistence on that job of course. Soon enough they were all set up and gathered around the fire, the moonlight shining on them. Branch was staring up at the stars, a sense of déjà vu hitting him. He shook it off. He needed to stay focussed.

Poppy was giggling with the girls as they gossiped amongst themselves, the boys chatting away about random things, but she couldn't help but notice Branch was separated off. He was gazing at the stars, but she could see the unease in his body.

"Branch, fancy a walk?" Poppy asked, wanting to ease her boyfriend. He looked up, a little shocked. He wasn't expecting her voice.

"Yeah, sure," He nodded. Together they wandered into the woods while their friend sang out.

"Branch and Poppy sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G," The group of friends sang out. Branch glared at them, hating the tormenting, while Poppy just grinned and laughed at them. They ventured further through and stopped at a nearby old oak tree, far enough for privacy but close enough they could still see the shimmering flame of the camp fire.

"Are you alright?" Branch raised his eyebrow in concern, his hands taking hold of Poppy's.

"Yeah, it's just I know you felt uncomfortable, I know they can be a l-"

"Poppy, it's not them making me uncomfortable. I've been having…flashbacks…déjà vu… whatever you want to call it,"

"Why?" She asked sitting down, pulling him with her.

"When I was younger, a lot younger, I got lost in here. I was scared and grieving, I'd just lost my grandma and my head was dark and bleary. I remember being sat under a tree, crying, when I heard a noise, saw a shadow. I couldn't make out what it was, but I did see…" Branch stopped, his words drifting away as he stared out passed Poppy, his eyes focused on the deeper parts of the woods.

"Branch?" Poppy encouraged. Branch shushed her, grabbing her hand and pulling her along. They both crawled towards a tree root that had a small gap under it. Branch pulled her under there, hiding her more than himself as he stared out, trying to look around. She looked at him questioningly, unsure as to what he was doing. What she could make out though was the words 'red eyes' that he muttered to himself…


	2. Chapter 2

**I do not own trolls.**

 **Chapter Two**

"Branch?" Poppy whispered, trying to move to see over his shoulder.

"Poppy, stay here," He told her warningly as he moved out slowly, keeping his eyes peeled. He looked in all directions, making sure to keep low. He quickly hid behind a tree, poking his head round the side. Right there, he could see them. The red eyes. They glowed like fire almost. He watched as they moved along the trees, a deep huffing sounding through the forest. He gulped. It was bigger than he initially thought. He kept low, keeping an eye on the beast as it moved along, he had to make sure it avoided the camp. The fire from the camp was thankfully dying low, the others must have turned in for the night, leaving it to die out on its own. Branch moved between the trees, almost reflecting the animal's movements. He kept following it until he managed to get close enough to see it properly.

Its fur was as dark as the night itself, almost camouflaging it against the moonlight. Despite the deep black tar fur, he could clearly make out several large white sharp teeth. He needed to get closer… He needed to know what this thing was. To do that, he needed a better look. Maybe even a sample of it's fur…

"Branch!" Poppy whisper shouted, Branch almost yelled back at her, but held himself. He needed to stay quiet, they couldn't risk drawing this beast's attention. He looked over at her, her magenta eyes staring into the black abyss, obviously trying to see what he had been following. He dived along the gap between himself and her, grabbing her hand and yanking her into hiding behind a tree. He took in a deep breath, closing his eyes for one moment before looking out from their hiding place, trying to see if the beast was nearby.

"Branch…" Poppy murmured, he could feel her shaking beside him. He looked at her, her eyes wide. He gulped, turning slowly around to come face to face with those big pearly fangs. He yelled out, grabbing Poppy and running as fast as they can. He could hear the thing behind him stalking them. Branch spotted a bush nearby where he quickly guided Poppy. Once hidden, he rubbed his hands in the dirt before wiping them on Poppy's face and body, repeating the same process on himself.

"What's this going to do?" Poppy stared at him. He felt his heart stop watching those beautiful pink eyes drown in fear. They were screaming for someone to rescue them, but Branch worried he couldn't be the saviour she needed. However, he had to try.

"It'll hide our scent, now stay quiet," He ordered, telling her to stay there as he crawled towards the end of the bush. He peered out but couldn't see anything. Just as he went to breathe a sigh of relief a large paw pounded down in front of him, making him bounce off the ground briefly. He held his breath. Branch watched cautiously as the creature lowered its large black dry nose to the ground, sniffing it, trying to locate them. After a moment, it drew back up, obviously giving up… for now. Before the beast left it let out a large howl, one that caused the two trolls to cover their ears in pain.

Then it was gone.

Branch sat back on his feet, his breaths deep and uneven, his heart was almost in his throat.

"Poppy!" He shouted, clambering to his feet unsteadily before rushing back to her, enveloping her into his arms, her body shaking against his. He tried to soothe her, but even his words couldn't stop that one stray tear falling down her soft sparkly cheeks.

"Branch… what was that thing?" She choked out.

"I… I don't know…" He sighed angrily, annoyed that his brain couldn't identify it. He wracked his brain hard, trying to think. He knew of wolves, so maybe it was a species of that origin, but something inside him doubted it. Before he could dwell further into his thoughts, Poppy pushed away from him, a panicked look on her face. He knew instantly before she said it what was going through her head.

"Come on," He told her, both of them rushing out from the bushes, heading back to the camp. As they entered the sight they were greeted by the other trolls, a frightened look on their faces as they quizzed the couple over the noise.

"Are we safe?" Suki asked.

"Do we need to leave?" Biggie spoke up. Branch answered each question as it came, other than one.

"What was it?" The twins had asked, and Branch was left speechless. He didn't know what to tell them.

"Guy's, go rest for now, I'll stay on guard overnight and then we are leaving in the morning,"

"Branch, we can't leave yet, we need to know what that thing is!"

"Poppy, I cannot risk you or the others, we need to get to safety and make a plan up!" He scorned her, Poppy stepped back from him. It was almost as if reality had struck her.

"What kind of plan could we possibly make up that would help us?" Poppy challenged him.

"I don't know, but maybe the bergens could help," He suggested, Poppy crossing her arms.

"And risk more people too? No. Our friends can head back, you too if you want, Branch, but I'm staying here, I need to know what that thing is,"

"You think we would leave you unmanned? I don't think so," Guy Diamond spoke up, the others agreeing with him. Branch groaned in frustration. They were all as stubborn as him, but at least he had sense. He knew he could walk away, but that doesn't mean they would walk with him and he couldn't risk them getting themselves killed.

"Fine, but we do this my way." Branch stated, crossing his arms. The others agreed and with that Poppy ushered everyone to bed, but before she could turn in herself she went over to Branch, but he wouldn't even look at her.

"Branch?" Her voice sounded so small, yet her attitude and her determination were always so big. It baffled Branch in many ways. She frustrated him so much.

"Poppy, this won't end well. I can't risk you. I don't want to see you get hurt," He admitted quietly. Losing his grandma made him grey and depressed, made him angry and guilty. He didn't want to feel like that again, and he knew if something happened to Poppy that's exactly what would happen again. Except this time, he wasn't sure he would survive it.

"We will be okay. Just got to stick together," She tried to smile but it faltered. He looked at her, unsure what to say. He had a bad feeling about this, but she was set in her ways.

"You guys need to listen to me this time, follow my instructions. I know a place not too far, it's about a half a day walk where we can hide out for safety. You know, safe place to rest," Poppy nodded, trusting him. She knew he would be a great leader for their pack, he would use his survivalist skills to keep them all safe. She sat down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder, he looked down at her, wrapping a secure arm around her comfortingly. She needed him to be brave, he knew that.

Everyone was awake before the suns rays had even met the camp. They were all functioning on little sleep, as rest wouldn't come easy to the gang. Branch didn't sleep at all. He was busy packing up, making supplies out of wood and cramming as much as he could into the couple of backpacks they had available. The tents were being left here.

"Why aren't we taking the tents? Surely we need those?" Smidge asked, one eyebrow cocked up questioningly.

"Don't need them. It's just extra weight,"

"What will we sleep in?" Biggie spoke up, feeling confused.

"We will lay out blankets and lay on them and use the covers we brought, plus any large leaves we find. They will make great sleeping bags," Branch informed them as he fastened his backpack up. Felling satisfied he stood up to find everyone gawking at him.

"But what about cover?" The twins shouted up together.

"How will we stay out of sight?" Suki asked.

"I know a safe place that's closed off, few people know about it," He assured them before ordering them out of the camp, warning them not to stray from the group.

"Stay close guys," Poppy reiterated to Biggie and Cooper who were dawdling behind the group. They sped up to the rest of them, but Branch was in his own world, oblivious to the group following him blindly. He knew where he was going, and his body corresponded in tow. It was as though his feet were on autopilot. His brain, however, was on high alert, his eyes scanning the trees around them constantly. Watching out for any hidden prey.

After a couple of hours, the other trolls began to moan and demanded they needed a break, but Branch forced them to keep moving. He didn't want to delay the timings anymore in case sunset hit sooner than planned. Together the troll friends travelled through the dirt and sticks, leaping over fallen branches and climbing over large logs that blocked their path. Just as they were about to give up, feeling the exhaustion from the journey pulling at them, Branch stopped, a smile on his face as he held his arms out in joy.

"Behold paradise," He told them, trying to lighten the mood. The other trolls stopped, standing up straight to look at the place they had been brought too. It was beautiful. It was a large lake that was so shiny and blue, the water sparkling against the low-lying sun. They could see a big waterfall dropping into the lake, causing a few water drops to bounce on their skin. The group let out a sigh of happiness as they rushed to the lake, using the water to clean their faces and arms.

"Branch, I thought you said we would be hidden?" Poppy asked curiously looking around.

"We will be, behind there," Branch assured, pointing to the waterfall, "There is a cove behind there. It's fairly warm on the other side and there's a small pond like area, perfect for us to keep clean and relax in. I can even use the water and boil it up to help make it safe to drink," He grinned. The others cheered happily before stopping. The same thought on everyone's mind.

"How do we get behind there?" Suki was the first to ask. Branch told them to follow him as he led them to a small rocky ledge on the side of the waterfall. It was a small gap to get through, but big enough they could fit through safely. The others groaned at the thought of more climbing and walking, but the motivation of clean water and a rest persuaded them further. One by one they all got on the ledge walking across, Branch supervising them as they walked along. Soon there was only Poppy and Branch left to cross, with a helping hand he lifted Poppy onto it, following closely behind her as she began to cross along. About halfway across though the rock under her foot broke and she began to fall off the ledge towards the rocky water.

"Poppy!" Branch yelled out, grabbing at her hand desperately.


	3. Chapter 3

**I do not own Trolls.**

 **Chapter Three**

Branch desperately tried to grab at her hand, missing her with his first, but thankfully catching her with the second hand he swung along afterward. He was barely on the ledge, but he had her, she was safe, or at least, she was for now unless he lost his balance on the rocky wall.

"Branch," She cried out, he gritted his teeth, trying to pull her up. He felt his sweat go cold, his heart almost stopped beating as he began to lose grip on her hand. He acted quickly, shooting his hair and wrapping it around her, tossing her back onto the ledge but consequently sacrificing himself to the fast current of the rocky water.

"Branch!" Poppy screamed out, tears flooding her eyes as she knelt over the edge, trying to see where he had gone. She had seen him fall off saving her, she had witnessed him being thrown into the vicious tide below. She cried softly at first, trying to keep herself together as she frantically searched the water from where she was stationed on the ledge, her few injuries seeming non-existent. Her heart felt numb, her soul started to feel dark and dreary. She could almost feel her colour going again as the tears rushed down her cheeks like the waterfall before her.

"Poppy!" She looked up, shocked. Had she imagined it? Was that Branch who had shouted her? She investigated the water again, to see him holding on to a buried rock in the water, completely drenched but one hundred percent alive.

"Branch," She breathed a sigh of relief, trying to figure out how to get to him, but soon enough she found Biggie beside her, a rope in hand. She threw it in Branch's direction and he caught it immediately, holding onto it tightly as Biggie pulled him back up the rock. Branch stepped up the stony wall, avoiding the sharp stones as he stepped along, Biggie helping to yank him to safety. As soon as Branch got near the top he lunged for the edge of the rocky sill, hanging onto it for dear life as he fought his way onto the ledge with the help of Poppy. Once up and safe she grabbed him, holding him tightly, tears still staining her pink face. Branch soothed her best he could, but he needed to nudge her to the safety of the cove. He stood up best he could, feeling wobbly and dizzy from the blow, but manged to stay up enough to get everyone to the other side. Once there, Branch collapsed on the ground, feeling grateful for its hard, secure surface. It felt good compared to the cold, bitter, swishing rapids he had been caught in only minutes ago.

He felt a body curl up beside him. Although it felt comforting to his being, he noticed the shaking that came with the troll cuddling him. He looked at her, sympathy in his eyes as he stroked her hair, holding her close. She was frightened, he knew that, he had given her quite a scare, but he knew most of all that if something had happened the guilt would have eaten her alive. She was already feeling guilty, feeling sorrow for what could have happened, and he hated that. It wasn't her fault.

"Poppy, I'm okay," He tried to comfort her, sitting up and pulling her into an upright position too. He needed to check her over.

"Branch, your arm!" She cried out. He looked over at the gash there, but it felt insignificant to him. He had suffered worse and would deal with it in time. His main concern was for her.

"Stay still," He ordered her softly, checking her over, starting from the graze on her cheek to the cuts on her knees. With each injury he cleaned it, put antiseptic cream on and finished off with a dressing where needed. Once he felt confident she was okay he saw to himself, leaving Poppy in the hands of their friends to cheer her up. He wiped over his wound, flinching at the stinging. It wasn't as bad as it looked, he told himself quietly, placing a gauze over it before wrapping a bandage along his arm. He was grateful for his survival supplies at this point.

"Are you okay?" Poppy asked quietly, moving back towards him. Branch looked up at her and smiled lightly. He got up and walked up to her, taking her hands into his. He tried to catch her eyes, but she avoided him. She wouldn't look up. He sighed, placing his finger lightly under her chin, guiding her head back up, just like he did that day he admitted to her he loved her.

"Poppy, I'm okay. It wasn't your fault. The wall gave way and took you with it, I couldn't lose you. I did what I needed to, and that was keeping you safe. I would do it a million times over, Poppy. I love you," She met his eyes then, happy tears filling her eyes this time as she jumped into his arms, holding him close, a huge smile gracing her face.

"I love you, too," She grinned. She didn't feel guilt anymore, rather a sense of relief and love. She felt light, like a cloud, like he had just removed a heavy load from her shoulders.

"Aww," Their friends cooed in harmony, Branch jumping back from Poppy in surprise. He had forgotten they were there for a second and it left him feeling embarrassed.

"Right, let's get to work," Branch ordered, trying to take the spotlight away from himself. The others laughed but got to it. They began laying blankets out, collecting water from the calm pond like lake on their side of the waterfall ready for Branch to boil up for drinking water. Once everything was set up, the trolls began to enjoy the water, relaxing in its smooth currents and splashing each other. Branch and Poppy, however, were sat away from the others, just using the water to clean up their dirty skin. It had been a long night and day for the two of them, and they were left feeling sore and tired. All this before the real investigations even begin, and Poppy suddenly realised the extent of the work ahead of them.

"What if it's more than I can take?" She sang quietly to herself.

"You can't think that way. You just got to… get back up again," Branch told her, Poppy smiling at his memory. He never heard the song, but he most definitely remembered her singing 'get back up again' after he saved her during their last adventure.

"You really think we can beat that beast?"

"I don't know… but I think we should at least try, for the sake of the other trolls if nothing else," Branch replied, Poppy seeming happy with his reply. She knew he was right. She pushed for this, she wanted to do this and now she needed to get on with it. She needed to be brave for the sake of her people. She was their Queen, she had to set an example.

"Thanks for everything, Branch. I… I…"

"Poppy, I get it. I do. I'm always here when you need me, I promise," He assured her, drying off the water from his body. He felt achy and generally just needed a rest. The lack of sleep and permanent high alert had drained him.

"Thanks," She smiled, getting out of the water to dry off too. The rest of the trolls were soon dried off and together they joined around the fire Branch finally managed to light. It took some effort and a helping hand from an extra ingredient due to the moisture levels in the cove. However, with clean, dry clothes on, feeling fresh and settled they enjoyed the warmth from the hot, fiery flames. While Branch had some water boiling, Biggie and Suki set about preparing some of the fruit that they had scavenged along the way.

Poppy sat silently, staring at the flames, deep in thought. She pondered the night before and the day they had just lived through. Her injuries stung, her body felt sore and battered, but most of all she could see the exhaustion it had caused her friends, and that was before it had all truly begun. She knew the adventure, whilst exciting, was both dangerous and frightening as well. She knew the situation had taken its toll on her troll group. They were tired and aching, but all still seemed eager and ready for the journey ahead. She admired them. They kept their heads straight and kept their faith both in her as their leader and in themselves. They wanted answers and to help. She was thankful for their help, however, she worried she had led them into something bigger than they could handle.

Then there was Branch. He had almost sacrificed himself for her, and it made her feel a mixture of things. She felt appreciation, a little guilt still, love and just general heartache. She felt heartache at what could have been. He might not have been sat here if it had gone differently. She shivered at the thought. She looked over at him. He looked bruised and beaten, dark bags under his eyes, but despite all that he still looked focussed, ready for anything. She admired that in him. He was determined to find answers for himself. What she did wonder, however, was what the questions were to match those answers.


	4. Chapter 4

Poppy awoke in the dead of night, her eyes shooting wide, a sweat building on her forehead. She had had a nightmare. She had dreamt that she'd seen Branch leaving the cove, she remembered chasing him into the darkness and losing him amongst the trees. They all looked the same. She felt as though she was lost, as though she trapped. She felt like the world was closing in on her, like everything was falling away into the darkness. She remembered that ear piercing howl. She even dreamt that the beast had eaten Branch. She shivered at the thought. Branch had insisted they skipped investigating that night due to the exhaustion and needing a rest. It was a last-minute decision, but one everyone had agreed on. She breathed a sigh of relief as she sat up, a small stretch and yawn before she scanned the area around her. The cove was filled with soft snores, the odd shuffle and the sound of the waterfall. The waterfall was like white noise, it kept the forest sounds at bay while they slept.

She accounted for each of her friends as her eyes went along. Biggie and Mr Dinkles were sleeping together cuddled, next to him was Cooper, then Smidge, Suki, Satin and Chenille, Fuzzbert, Guy Diamond and right beside her was…

"Branch?" She murmured, almost too afraid of the silence that was sure to follow. She swallowed hard, moving out of her large leaf and crawling a couple inches to her right. The blankets that had covered Branch were alone and cold, abandoned by their owner. She felt her chest tighten. She knew exactly what he had done. He'd gone to search without them. On his own. She felt her breaths get ragged as fear ate at her. She suddenly felt paralyzed. _Where was he?_

Branch was just rounding a tree, his eyes on the trail before him. He'd had a little wander away from the base, much against his better judgment, but he couldn't sleep. He needed to go out and see what he could find. He knew he shouldn't have done. He knew if Poppy found out she'd kill him, but he needed this for himself. He needed to do this by himself. He needed to know what this thing was and most of all, he needed to know why it had been hidden for nearly twenty years and why it was suddenly hunting nearby his village. He needed to know a lot of things, but he kept asking whether he wanted to know. He felt in his gut that the answers he sought weren't going to be good.

He crouched down, feeling the soil the large footprint was moulded into. It felt warm. It was nearby. He moved towards the trunk of the tree, trying to blend in better as he peered around, unsure as to how close this thing might be. After deciding the beast wasn't too far, but also definitely not around a corner, he carried on forward, keeping close to the trees and his hair at the ready to blend him in if needed. He felt determined and unaltered.

Soon, though, the trail had ended, nothing left to follow, but what was there was the tar black beast himself, stood proud near a cave. His piercing red eyes looking around. Branch figured the best must know that his presence is close. It wanted to find him as much as he had wanted to find it. He used his hair to camouflage him, the mud he had smeared himself with before setting off on his solo journey was hiding his scent. He was pretty much invisible to the five senses as long as he stayed quiet, but it was almost as if that particular beast had a sixth sense. A gut feeling. It knew he was here. He could tell by its strong stance. The creature was stood tall, ears cocked up and head high. It was almost like it was trying to protect something. Maybe it's home, or maybe something more sinister…

Branch couldn't be sure, however, he definitely knew he wanted to find out.

Poppy looked around the forest, trying to figure out which way Branch could have possibly gone in. She had no idea how to track people, or even know what to look for, that was kind of Branch's deal. What she did know though was that Branch wouldn't have left a trail for her to find anyway. She stopped and sighed. Every tree looked the same and the wind felt like it blew the same way no matter which way she stood. Then she heard it. That howl. It sounded close too, and she knew exactly where Branch was most likely to be now. In the same direction of that howl. She hurried down that route, hoping to find Branch soon, and hoping that the beast hadn't found him first. The closer she got, the more she heard the howl. It sounded as though it was sending out a warning. It was as though it knew she was coming. Or maybe it was trying to warn off someone else who was close by…

"Branch." She breathed, her heart aching as she raced towards the sound. She soon stopped in her tracks when she spotted that dark beast, its piercing red eyes could be seen from miles away. They were searching. The creature was pacing, it was as though it was on edge. She moved closer, being careful to remain careful as she wiped some mud on herself, just like Branch had taught her. The closer she got to the beast, the more she realised that that howl wasn't just menacing, it sounded pained.

"Poppy, what are you doing here?" Branch hissed at her as he grabbed her hand, pulling her with him as they ran, the howling sounded larger this time and she could hear paws banging behind them. Branch was running as fast as he could, leaving Poppy to be dragged by him as she tried hard to keep up. When Branch realised they couldn't move fast enough he quickly ushered Poppy into a small tunnel that was made up of piled rocks. He followed in after her, sitting firmly in front of her, using his hair to cover the entrance so they couldn't be spotted. They remained quiet for a few minutes, watching, waiting and listening for the beast.

"Branch, why did you come out here?" Poppy asked him.

"Poppy, why did you?"

"To find you! You upped and left with no note or anything. You had me worried. Anything could have happened to you!" She scolded him. He rolled his eyes, clearly not in the mood for the lecture.

"Branch!"

"I needed to do this, Poppy, I needed answers for myself without you lot in the way!" Poppy sat back a bit further after that comment. Was she and her friends just a nuisance? Where they in the way? She sat quietly staring at him, unsure as to what to say.

"Poppy, I didn't mean that…" He tried to explain but Poppy shook her head at him.

"Branch, you were here to help me investigate, yet you tried to stop me being out here, tried to get me to go home and now you're sneaking off in the middle of the night on your own. You say I'm in your way. What are you trying to hide?" She challenged him. His behaviour was erratic, even for him, and she needed to know what was going off in that mind of his.

"It's complicated,"

"Branch, I'm giving you one chance to explain,"

"Poppy…" He sighed, rubbing his hand over his head. Lucky enough for him the moment was interrupted by a bulky black paw, with sharp claws on the end, crashing down in front of the rocks. Branch and Poppy both sucked in a breath, keeping as quiet as they could as they waited the creature out. It was listening for them, he could tell. The beasts head lowered, it's nose sniffing at the rocks, a bit of Branch's hair, which was blocking the gap, tickled the beasts nose making it sneeze and shake its head. It growled, lowering its head again, this time lining its eye up with the entryway. They could see it's flaming eye penetrating them, but luckily for them the beast couldn't see through Branch's hair. It snuffled before moving on with its hunt. After a minute or two Branch released a sigh of relief, moving to look out of the rocks to see if the best had gone. He couldn't see it anywhere.

"Branch, now," Poppy ordered him. He sighed, turning around to see her with her arms crossed, waiting for him.

"I know what that thing is,"

"That isn't what I ask- Wait, what?"

"I remember my grandma talking about a creature like this before. She called it a howler,"

"A howler? That can't be its real name,"

"I don't think it is, but that's how she always referred to it," Branch told her. Poppy nodded, trying to understand the information being fed to her. Branch stood up and held his hand to Poppy, helping her up from the floor and out of the rocks. He turned to her, eyes catching hers.

"I am sorry, Poppy, for what I said. You don't get in my way… I just… I wouldn't be able to focus if you were here with me, I'd be too worried about you, my eye would always be on you," He admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed. He was still struggling when it came to his emotions, especially the ones that flooded him when Poppy was around. She made him feel a whole new set of emotions, and each one came at him like a tsunami, drowning him in it. He didn't know how to process them, he wasn't even sure he understood them, but what he did know is that he loved her, and he needed to protect her. He tried to protect her from the Bergens and now this.

"Branch, we are in this thing together, you need to let me help, too. I want to know what's happening just as much," He nodded at her, accepting the fact with ease. It didn't, however, help with his anxiety about her safety. Together they made their way back to the cove, keeping hidden as much as they could just in case.

"Wow, everyone's still asleep," Poppy almost giggled. Branch let out a breathy short laugh before heading over to the water to clean up. Poppy joined him. She couldn't help but notice though that his eyes were almost always on his backpack. He was watching that bag as closely as a mother would her toddler in a crowded place. It was like he was trying to protect what was there, keeping it hidden. It made her wonder what he had hidden in there…


	5. Chapter 5

**I do not own Trolls.**

 **Chapter Five**

Morning soon greeted them, the rays of sunshine battling through the thick waves of the waterfall, offering a small glow in the cove. Poppy was the first to respond, sitting up and stretching her arms with a yawn. As tired as she felt, she couldn't help waking up with the sun, it was comforting to her. It made her feel like happiness could still find them, even with that Howler lurking out in the wilderness somewhere. Poppy, although trying her hardest to smile and be bubbly, felt worried about her village, she wondered how they were doing, whether they were coping and singing and dancing. She even worried they weren't hugging every hour. However, she knew her father would take care of them. Yet, even with that small comfort, she felt anxious regarding Branch. He had acted weird when they had returned. He never took his eyes off his backpack, and he also barely said anything before falling asleep. What was more worrying was that he slept with his backpack. The strap wrapped around his arm, the covers even pulled over the bottom of the bag. It was suspicious.

"What have you got in there?" She murmured, staring at the culprit. She wasn't sure what he had discovered on his antics, but what she did know is that it was valuable to him. He wanted it kept secret, she could tell that, nevertheless, he didn't have to make it so obvious. His anxiety over what he's hiding had clearly overruled his common sense. If he didn't want her attention on it, he would have pretended there was nothing there, or even hid it somewhere that wasn't noticeable. She stood up, walking around casually to where his bag was, her eyes watching him as she crouched down. She just wanted a little look. The closer her hand got to the bag, the more nervous she got. She could feel her body shaking with caution. She was so deep in concentration she didn't even notice Biggie approaching behind her, his voice causing her to scream and fall back, which lead to Branch springing up shouting, yanking his bag into a bear hug.

Poppy stared at him, one eyebrow raised suspiciously as she leant back on her hands, her heart pounding in her chest from the shock. She could tell his heart was doing the same.

"Did I interrupt some weird thing here?" Biggie asked, feeling confused.

"What? No? Of course not…" Poppy quickly spat out as she scrambled up, trying to put on her best innocent face, but she could tell Branch wasn't falling for it. He eyed her carefully, clearly weighing up his options.

"Poppy…" He drawled out, making Poppy move uncomfortably as she asked Biggie for some privacy. He agreed, moving away suspiciously and taking the others, who were also now awake, with him. The commotion had caused everyone to wake up.

"Branch, what are you hiding?" She dived straight in. Branch shifted on his feet shadily, blatantly searching for somewhere to escape. Poppy made a face at him, a clear one that stated he shouldn't even think about it. He sighed, quickly shoving his backpack down.

"It's private."

"Is it?" She challenged back.

"Just leave it," He told her grabbing the bag and dragging it away, Poppy followed straight behind him towards the edge of the cove.

"I will not leave it! You are hiding something, Branch, and you better start talking now!" She demanded, Branch looked around her to gander at the trolls staring at them. They all quickly looked away and scampered around to look busy. Branch grumbled.

"Poppy, this is my business, if I want to keep it to myself then respect that. I will tell you when I feel ready," He told her. She could see the desperation in his eyes. She sighed. As much as he had worried her, she could see he had a struggle going off in his head, and she knew she wouldn't get anywhere till he came to piece with whatever demon seemed to be haunting him. She did wonder though, whether what he had found was the thing that was disturbing him so much.

"Look, I'm just going to grab some berries from those bushes," Branch told her as he was climbing onto the ledge, pulling the bag with him. As much as Poppy wanted to object, she knew he needed this space, so she allowed it, knowing that at least she can see him through the gap between the wall and the waterfall.

Once out of the cove, Branch hurried to the closest bush, sinking down behind it, his backpack sat in front of him. He bit his lip as he undid the bag, staring into the hole. He felt something pull inside of him as he pulled out an old stuffed bear. It was weather worn, a button eye hanging off and the stitches of it's leg were almost fully undone, the stuffing sticking out of the gap. He ran his finger along the broken seam, studying the thing before him. He laid it down beside him as he put his hand in his bag again, trying to grab the other item he had found the night before, but before he could grasp it he heard shouting, causing him to quickly retrieve his hand. He grabbed the bear, shoving it into the bag forcefully and zipping it back up. He looked over the bush to see Poppy stood on the edge of the ledge, staring at him. She must have wondered where he had gone, after all, he was out of sight. He grabbed a berry and waved it at her, trying to convince her he was innocently picking fruit like he told her.

He could tell she knew different. She knew him better than he cared to admit. It was almost as though she could read his mind, work him out from simple motions. It scared him in a way, knowing someone knew him as deeply as that. Twenty years of solitude had destroyed his social aspects, made interacting hard for him. What was worse, though, was that it made it almost impossible for him to let someone in, and yet, he had let Poppy in so much, letting her get to know the real him. Yet, even though he had made that progress, he found himself trying to push her back. He knew it was a mixture of fear and uncertainty. He didn't know how to feel himself at the moment, or what to make of the items he had recovered from that creature's cave.

He had managed to sneak in when it wasn't looking, he had searched the home as best he could without light. He didn't want the light to attract the attention of the beast, so he kept his torch in his bag. The items he found were laid out on the floor near the rocky walls of the cave. They were wrapped up in a blanket. The blanket was ripped and covered in holes, it was almost black with dirt. He had felt a sense of familiarity with the items. He knew he recognised them, which is why he took them, but he couldn't work out where he knew one of them from. But what made him wonder most, was how they ended up there with the howler. What connection did the creature have with them? He felt something inside him telling him they belonged to the howler, it had cared and protected them this long, so to lose them obviously bothered it. It would come looking for them sooner rather than later, and he was prepared for that.

He just wished he was prepared for Poppy.

One of the items connected her too. He just didn't know how to explain it all to her, to all the trolls. He was lost for words. His grandma had talked about the howler, but it was more of a bedtime story than a fact. He thought it was make believe. His grandma always said the Howler was a morphing creature. It thrived on pain and despair, it soaked itself in others guilt. The stronger the emotion, the stronger it was. She always said that items connected to those emotions helped it live, gave it energy. Theoretically, removing those items the night before would weaken it, well, at least he hoped it would…

He knew what he needed to do, he needed to tell her what he knew and what he'd found.

"Poppy, come here please," He yelled out, knowing she wasn't too far away anyway. She soon turned up behind the bush where he asked her to sit down. He explained to her about the Howler and regarding how it thrived off negative energy.

"I took these last night, and I have a feeling they are drenched in that kind of energy," He told her, pulling out the bear and a cowbell. Her eyes widened.

"My…my cowbell," She whispered as she gathered it into her hands. It was the one creek had taken to trick the village into coming out of hiding. How the beast found it is beyond her, but she knew she didn't want this one back, it was a bad memory for her. It might have been months ago, but the guilt of what happened still resonated with her. She shook her head putting the bell down before turning her attention to the bear. She picked it up tenderly. It was an old bear, it had seen better days and had a smell to it now, but she could tell it was a well-loved teddy before that. She wondered who's it was until she looked up and saw Branch's troubled face.

"It's yours?" she asked tenderly. He nodded.

"My grandma made it for me when I was born, I lost it in the woods when I got lost after she died," Poppy could still see the pain that lingered in his eyes. She reached over and pulled him into a hug, holding him tight. He melted into her embrace, holding her just as tight. They stayed there like that for a few minutes before separating.

"It must be hard seeing it again," She looked at him, he nodded, barely being able to bring himself to peek at the teddy.

"That bear has a lot of guilt and pain," He murmured quietly.

"Will the Howler weaken now?"

"I don't know, you and I have been in close contact with it, we probably fuelled it enough for a bit longer. We both went grey with negativity, and although we are colour restored, that guilt and pain still lingers inside us. If it were to have ate us, or found something more negative than these, we would have been in big trouble,"

"Did you find anything else?" She had to ask, she needed to know. He nodded reaching into his bag.

"I didn't find this as significant, but it was on the ground near the cave," He handed it over to her, causing her to gasp. It was Creek's comb. She told Branch as much, causing him to pull a face.

"Well, it should have at least some guilt on it, although I'm not one hundred percent sure he felt any…" Branch grumbled.

Poppy nodded, placing the comb with the other two items.

"What do we do?" She asked, her face scrunched in a frown.

"I don't know… But I think we should head back to the village soon. You can check on everyone, update the villagers and I'll research into it. We will stop this thing," Branch assured her.

"I hope so," She said while getting up. Branch stuffed everything back into his bag but lingered slightly on his bear. He was starting to get flashbacks from that time he was lost in the forest. He kept getting random images of that creature flashing in his mind.

He shook it off.

Just as they started to head back to the cove, Branch spotted a mass of black shooting through the trees. He spun round trying to follow it. Before he could react, it jumped out from amongst the trees, white sharp teeth bared.

"Run!" He screamed at Poppy.


	6. Chapter 6

**I do not own Trolls.**

 **Chapter Six**

Poppy ran as fast as she could, trying her hardest not to turn around and look back. She soon felt Branch grab her hand, yanking her towards the water where he told her to jump. Together they jumped into the water, sinking under the currents. Branch kept a tight hold of Poppy as they fought the currents, trying to work towards a stable rock. Their heads barely popped up for air, but they grabbed what they could, filling their lungs each time that two second opportunity came up. Branch finally managed to grab onto a rock, coincidently the same rock as he grabbed last time, pulling them both onto it. Poppy grabbed the rock for dear life, panting as she tried to catch her breath back. Branch was peering over the top, trying to see where the beast had gone. He knew it was going to come for them, he just didn't think it would be during the day time. Howlers are usually nocturnal. He distinctly remembered his grandma telling him that. He just couldn't understand why it was out in day light. He looked towards the ledge where he could see the other trolls beginning to come out, he shook his head vigorously at them, shouting at them to hide. They all shot back, but he knew they didn't want to. They wanted to help him and Poppy, but they couldn't, not without risking everyone.

Poppy looked at him desperately, her heart felt as though it was in her mouth, fear setting in. Branch seemed calm and collected though, like this was an everyday occurrence for him. It made Poppy wonder how he could stay so relaxed in such a dire situation.

"There," Branch murmured, clocking the Howler walking along the edge of the water. He watched carefully, wondering what it would do. He figured being a wolf type breed it would be able to swim if need be, but whether it would choose too is a different matter. Branch chose the water to jump into because he knew it would hide their scent. The water had its own unique smell, so it would mask theirs easily. He swallowed hard, observing every move as the creature wandered around the water, sniffing the floor, a snarl pulling at it's mouth. It moved towards the waterfall, each step clearly planned, it had picked up their friends' scent. As it closed in on the ledge it investigated the rapid water, spotting Branch and Poppy.

It was almost as though the creature had grinned at them. Branch widened his eyes.

"Camouflage!" Branch yelled out to the other trolls, hoping they would hear him over the waterfall. Poppy cried out, desperately trying to manoeuvre around the rock to see what was happening, but the current of the water had her pinned. Branch watched, horrified, as the beast stepped back before charging forward ready to take a flying leap through the waterfall to their friends. But just as it was about to leave the ground he saw Guy Diamond glide around, shaking his glitter into the Howler's eyes.

"Eat glitter!" His autotuned voice screeched out. The beast cried out, falling into the water where it got caught in the rapids at the bottom of the waterfall. Branch looked up again to see Guy Diamond stood with Biggie. Biggie had had his hair wrapped around Guy Diamonds, which had allowed him to swing and blind the creature. Branch let out a relieved sigh as he

pulled Poppy closer to him, trying to help her float, but also to keep her safe. He couldn't see the Howler anymore, but he knew it was in the water with them somewhere.

"Hold on guys!" DJ shouted down to them as they tied the rope to a rock, needing its strength and stability to pull the two back up. Their stretched hair would never reach them, even if they stretched theirs too.

"Are you okay?" Branch asked Poppy, she nodded, but he could feel her shaking. The water was brisk, and each current felt like a punch to their bodies. Branch used his hair to catch the rope as the others threw it into their vicinity. He pulled it to them, tying the rope around Poppy as best he could. He wasn't sure how well she'd be able to hold it and he needed to know she wasn't going to drop. He tugged the rope once, letting them know to pull her up. They heaved, yanking Poppy out of the water. Branch breathed a sigh of relief. He looked around, trying to keep an eye out for the beast as he waited for the rope to be thrown back again.

"Branch, catch!" He looked up just as the thick string twined rope got chucked to him, he grabbed it again, holding it tight as they helped him out of the water. Half way out the water though he caught sight of the beast. It was dragging itself out of the water on the other side, a large growl sounding through the area. If the beast wasn't infuriated before, it will be after that. Branch shook his head and instead focussed on pulling himself up onto the ledge, where he breathed the air deep into his lungs, making him cough at first, a bit of water coming up. He'd swallowed enough of it. He sat with his back against the wall, breathing hard with his heart pounding, but his eyes were focussed on that beast. It was watching them.

"Poppy," Branch murmured reaching his hand out for hers. She accepted the comfort and smiled weakly at him.

"We need to go," Branch told them as he dragged himself up, his hand clamping down on his side as he felt a sharp pain shooting there.

"Branch!" Poppy moved over to him, but he waved her off, assuring her he was fine. She didn't seem convinced, but she couldn't argue it with him as he was already moving ahead, ordering everyone to get a move on. They all walked towards the forest, feeling thankful the water separated them from that predator.

Branch's breath was ragged, and his hand was clamped to his side, but he refused to acknowledge the injury, he needed to see the others to safety first. Although, he wasn't sure what was safe anymore. The Howler had their scent now, it had watched them leave. It would find them, he was convinced of that.

"I think we will be safer in Bergen town, they will have better defences," Branch admitted begrudgingly. Even though they had made a truce with them, he still didn't like them, he didn't trust them, but he knew in this situation he had to do what was best for the other Trolls.

"Branch, I don't even know where we are," Poppy shook her head, looking around. Branch groaned, leaning against a tree. He had a cold sweat building on his forehead. He leaned his head back against the tree, taking a sharp breath before he looked down to where his hand was. He could see the red blood covering his hand. He moved his hand to see the full damage. It was a deep wound. He'd struck a sharp rock when he dove them into the water, but the adrenaline kept him going. He was only just starting to feel the pain now as the hormone resided.

"We are south west of the village, so if we head towards north west it'll take us towards the tunnels that lead to the troll tree," Branch groaned out, forcing himself off the tree, but faltering on his legs, causing him to fall back. Poppy rushed over to him, helping him up and supporting his weight. Her eyes widened at the realisation of what was wrong.

"You should have said," Her voice sounded gentle, which made him smile slightly. He sat back down with the help of Poppy. She fished into her hair and pulled out a thick strip of fabric and some tape. Branch raised an eyebrow at her.

"Scrapbook material," She shrugged as she folded the material again, making sure it was thick enough to absorb some of the blood, and hopefully slow the flow down. She pressed it against him, causing him to flinch in pain. She showed him apologetic eyes as she used the tape to secure it in place.

"There's only you who would have scrapbook stuff in this situation," Branch chuckled as Poppy and Guy Diamond helped Branch up onto his feet.

"Good thing I did seeing as we've lost all the other supplies,"

"Not all…" They looked up to see Smidge and Cooper stood by a backpack.

"How did you…" Branch trailed off.

"We grabbed it when we left the cove to hike out. It's yours, so we know it's important," Smidge admitted, Cooper nodding. Smidge used her strong hair to pass Branch his bag. He thanked them as he opened it up to see the 3 items he collected still there. He just wished he had kept the first aid stuff in his bag and not Poppy's. He wasn't sure how long the fabric and cello tape Poppy had used would last.

"We need to move now," Poppy shouted out, putting Branch's right arm over her shoulder. He needed her, and she intended to be there and help him along. He went to protest but Poppy hushed him as they started moving. Branch told them to keep towards the shrubbery and trees as much as possible. The Howler might be able to find them with it's nose, but without physically seeing them it wouldn't be able to catch them. That and Branch knew the copper smell of his blood would attract other predators.

He was the risk.

By the time the sun was setting they were just approaching the tunnels, but Branch had weakened greatly by then. Cooper had let Branch ride on his back because he could barely walk anymore, and at the point of entering the tunnel Branch was slumped, barely able to keep his eyes awake.

"Branch?" Poppy whispered as she shook him lightly, all she got in return though was a grumble…


	7. Chapter 7

**I do not own Trolls.**

 **Chapter Seven**

"How's Branch, Poppy?" Her father asked as he laid a hand on her shoulder. She was sat on a chair beside Branch's bed, he had been unconscious for several hours now. Her father, very smartly, had moved the Trolls to Bergen Town after a near attack by a creature they couldn't identify, which fell lucky for Branch as it meant Doctor Bloom was to hand. Doctor Bloom sorted Branch swiftly, adding a few stitches to help the wound and placing an IV in Branch's arm. She said it would help him regenerate some blood cells to help replace the lost ones. Poppy just hoped he recovered soon. His colours though, on the bright side, were more vibrant than before.

"Okay…I think…" She murmured the last part as she tried to smile up at her father.

"It's okay to be worried," He told her as he sat on the chair beside her. She nodded quietly.

"Dad, what creature did you see at the village?" She asked, trying to change the subject before the tears emerged again.

"I'm not sure to be honest, Poppy. All I saw was black," Poppy fell to attention then. She knew exactly what creature had been near the village.

"When?"

"It was the day after you left," Her father recalled. Poppy nodded as she stood up, pacing the room. This Howler needed stopping and she needed to figure out how.

"Poppy, why don't you do some scrapbooking? It might help you relax," Peppy tried to persuade her. Poppy went to object but stopped herself. She figured it might help her come up with a plan, she did find it very inspirational usually.

 _Branch was walking along the trees that looked as though they leered and leaned over him. He felt like they were closing him in, which made his breathing ragged. He looked down at his teddy that he was holding by the arm in one hand. He pulled the bear up, wrapping it tight in his arms as he walked slowly through the forest. The area felt grey and dull, it felt like all happiness had been stripped from it. Then again, Branch felt the same. He felt like he was drowning in guilt, he felt like he was breathing in pain every time he took a breath. The scene of his grandma being taken kept playing in his head. He felt cold tears run softly down his cheeks. He thought that maybe he deserved his fate of being lost. He felt lost in himself and he felt lost without his grandma._

 _Walking along the path he came cross a cave. It looked appealing to him. He walked towards it, curiosity taking control as he wandered into the deep, dark, damp cave._

" _He-hello?" He shouted out, but as he expected there was no response. He sat down on the cold floor, pulling his knees into his chest, his teddy resting firmly in his grip as he looked around the environment he was left in. It matched his soul perfectly. Dark, empty and alone. He closed his eyes, letting the pain overtake him as he mourned his grandma, wishing deep down that it was him who was taken and not her. She didn't deserve that fate. He hated himself for what happened, he hated that he let that stupid song make him careless and oblivious. He vowed there and then that he would never sing another note, that he would never dance, that we would never be happy… He didn't deserve happiness…_

 _Branch looked up as he heard a large bang. He tried to adjust his watery eyes to the murky area, trying to work out where the intrusive sound came from. The first thing he spotted was two round red eyes. They were piercing, he felt like they were penetrating his soul, not that they would find anything there. He looked closer, soon spotting the bright white sharp teeth that emerged under the eyes. He sucked in a breath as he held his body even closer, keeping his knees pressed tight to his chest. He felt scared. He didn't know what was happening. The creature moved towards him where he began to make out different features such as the black fur and the razor-sharp claws that were almost bigger than his 5-year-old self. He could feel the fear running out of his body as it neared him. He felt like he connected with this creature, it was as though it understood him… Understood his internal agony. He reached his hand out, the beast laying down and placing his large head in front of Branch where he was able to stroke along the silky soft fur._

" _Hi…" Branch murmured, the creature growling softly in response. The creature was giant compared to Branch, but something inside him linked with this creature…_

Branch groaned as he forced himself out of his dream. As much as he wanted to remember more, he couldn't bear it. The memory left his head feeling sore and achy. It was as though it had to work overtime to regain that small snippet, it was like he had to concentrate beyond normal levels. He opened his eyes but blinked a few times at the bright light above him. It felt invasive. He sat up painfully, gently placing his hand over his damaged side, but could only find soft white bandages where the wound had been. He scrunched up his nose in confusion as he looked around, hating the pain shooting through his side.

He couldn't help but smile when he spotted Poppy. She was passed out on the floor, her head buried in fabric, paper, stickers and tape.

"Stress booking again," he almost chuckled to himself as he leant back against the metal bars of the bed. He still felt drowsy, and his entire body felt like it had been in a war. What bothered him most though was the needle sticking out of his arm, tying him to the IV. It felt restrictive, it meant he couldn't wander or leave. He didn't like that feeling. He closed his eyes, leaning his head back, taking a deep breath. That memory, while still only a memory, felt entirely real. He felt like he was right back there as a child, he felt like he was reliving the situation all over again. Not just the visions though, but the emotions. He felt his heart ache and sink at the thought of his grandma and what happened to her, he even felt that twang of guilt.

Even though he had his colours back and he was happy, something which his 5-year-old self-thought would never happen, he still had flashes from being grey. From what that unhappiness brought him. The loneliness, the guilt, the pain and most of all the sadness. He despised that feeling, especially after he had found the meaning of true happiness. He looked back over at Poppy, his heart constricting, but in a different way. It was with love. He loved Poppy dearly and he held onto that joy with both hands, he refused to lose it. His grandma wanted this life for him, not the grey life.

"Ah, I see you've awoken," Doctor Bloom noted thoughtfully as she strolled into the room. She wore a white lab coat with a stethoscope around her neck. Her purple hair was moulded perfectly leaving no hair out of place.

"Yeah…" He answered almost cautiously. He had never really encountered a doctor properly before. Living the life he had done previously he had never relied on one, any injuries or illnesses he dealt with himself off his own back. It was part of his survivalist skills.

"How do you feel then?" She barely even looked over her glasses as she got her pen ready, the end pointing at the paper on the clipboard waiting for his response.

"Tired but fine,"

"Are you feeling lightheaded?"

"Slightly," He started.

"Still feeling pain in your side?"

"Well, yeah," He pulled a face at her. He thought her idiotic if she even remotely thought he wouldn't be in pain.

"Headache?"

"From your questions, yeah" He muttered quietly to himself, feeling frustrated with all these questions. The Doctor raised her eyebrow at him but ignored his remark.

"I'll get you some pain killers," She smiled at him before leaving. Just as he let out a sigh of relief at the door closing behind her he shouted out in surprise as he saw a pink blur come his way, arms wrapping themselves around him. He coughed at the loss of breath from the impact and seethed at the pain it caused him too. Poppy pulled back to apologise but he didn't miss the smile on her face.

"Oh, Branch," She smiled at him, cupping his cheek in her hand, he leaned into the touch automatically, grinning slightly at her.

"I'm fine, Poppy, I promise," He assured her quickly before she started. She nodded, believing him. He laughed as he pulled some tape from her hair.

"What was with the scrap book then?"

"Dad thought it would relax me, but instead it gave me an idea. I bet you have some books in your bunker don't you?" He knew instantly where she was heading. He did have some books on different animals and he had the old books that belonged to his grandma. Maybe she had a book on this Howler, after all, she'd told him about it.

"Let's do it,"

"Branch, you can't go anywhere! You're recovering,"

"Poppy, I'm going too. I'll be fine. Anyway, where did that doctor come from?" He whispered the last part to her as Doctor Bloom walked back into the room.

"My father brought the Trolls here the day after we left. There was an attack on them, and he felt they were safer here until I returned. I think it was, well, you know," She told him, Branch nodded as he accepted the pain killers from the Doctor. He took them with some water before asking the Doctor if she'd remove the IV. The Doctor was sceptical.

"If you don't, I will," He deadpanned, glaring at her.

"You certainly will no-" The Doctor was cut off by Branch grabbing the cannula. He looked at her, eyebrow raised waiting for her next move.

"Branch, you've lost a lot of blood, that isn't a good idea," Poppy told him, but he ignored her. He wanted this thing out one way or another. He wanted to go with Poppy to his bunker and find those books. The Doctor tried to stare him out but in the end, he won. Feeling smug he got out of the bed, grabbing his leaf vest from the back of a chair where he put it back on, his eyes meeting Poppy's.

"Let's do this," and with that he spun around and marched towards the door. With a worried look on her face Poppy followed behind him.


	8. Chapter 8

**I do not own Trolls.**

 **Chapter Eight**

Branch searched through his book shelf, pulling one out after another but soon discarding it when it wasn't the right one. He groaned inwardly while still yanking at the few remaining books. However, none matched his desire. He had books for everything. Ones for DIY, different types of fruit, woodwork, survival and many more. Yet, he struggled for one on unbeknown creatures. Which, he decided, he shouldn't have been too shocked on. He pondered to himself quietly, pacing his study room, with his hand clamped behind his back. There must be one somewhere, he was sure of it. At least, to his relief, Poppy was occupied in his living area looking through some old paper back books that had seen better days that he'd found on the shelves. He hoped she might be more successful with those books, but with the silence he'd found from her so far, he doubted it.

"Where could it be?" He wondered aloud, looking around the room. His grandma had a book on this creature, he was sure he remembered her telling him the story with a book in her hand. Then he spotted it, an old dusty cardboard box that was barely hanging together right there on top of his book shelf. He grinned while grabbing his stepping stool, setting it up in place before climbing up and trying to reach the box.

"Almost got it…" He murmured, biting his lip as his fingers grazed the grimy side of the box.

"Branch!" He yelled out at the sudden intrusive noise, yanking the box down with him. The contents of the box poured out onto him as he laid on the floor, rubbing his head yet again and whimpering at the pain from his previous injury that had just been attacked again by inanimate objects.

"Every time…" He grumbled while sitting, feeling bruised and sore from yet another tumble resulting in injury. Branch figured he should have been used to her loud bad timings, yet, here he was, still ending up on the floor from shock.

"Are you okay?" Poppy asked guilty as she helped him up. He looked at her but nodded and smiled anyway. It was just who she was, and he admired her for it.

"Yeah, I'm good," He tried to reassure her as he bent down to grab up some of the contents, but the shooting pain in his side soon stopped him as he cried out in pain. Poppy was straight to his side, telling him to be steady as she led him to his study's chair. He sat down, feeling grateful for the solid wood under him. He suddenly felt tired and drained, the symptoms and aftermath of his previous injury becoming dominant. Poppy began collecting the items and placing them in front of Branch, allowing him to start finding what it was he was after.

"Here!" He almost cheered, slinging the book open and flipping through the pages. He knew he had it somewhere. Poppy looked over his shoulder, wanting to see for herself.

"There!" Poppy pointed out, making him stop on a page where she was pointing at a picture. It was the Howler. The name on the page for the creature was something long and unpronounceable though, Branch didn't even want to attempt the foreign looking word. No wonder his Grandma referred to it as a Howler.

"It says Howlers are creatures that are made from a soul that his given in to darkness. The soul could simply be depressed, which is reversible, or given in to evil…" Branch read out, Poppy looking at him with concern.

"Evil?" She practically whispered, wondering who could be evil around here. Evil was a word with a broad meaning, but nothing that followed it was wholesome.

"When a soul becomes grey and lost, it projects its pain and anguish which leads to the creation of a Howler. These creatures are made to protect the soul by barring some of its strain and problems to help reduce the suffering of its maker. The creature is designated to that being. The Howlers run solely on the pain, sadness and loneliness of their creator. The energy it provides keeps the Howler alive and going, it is only when all the negativity has been resolved can the creature return to its lulled peaceful state which allows it to move on," He carried on reading, trying to take in every ounce of information he could fathom.

"Why is it attacking though?" Poppy had to ask. She needed answers. This beast was jeopardising her village and had caused fear and panic. She needed to prevent any further harm, especially before it turned into death…

"When this creature becomes disconnected to their maker it begins to lose sense of its being and its reasons for existence. It resorts to a state of primal instincts where the pain once used for good gets regenerated and used to energise more evil characteristics such as hunting, killing and blood lust. They can become disconnected by the soul regaining its light before all the negativity has been solved or by means such as the soul becoming attached to another, thus stealing the connection from the Howler…" Branch looked at Poppy then. He could see the concern in her eyes.

"Who do you think it's maker might be?" Poppy inquired, making Branch think quietly to himself. He knew exactly who it was. It all made sense to him now. The scattered memories, the items from the cave, that feeling he remembered…

"It's me…"

The journey back to Bergen Town was quiet as Branch thought to himself about everything they had learned. He thought back to his childhood where he had been in that cave with that beast. The beast had never once hurt him from he could remember and now he knew why. It was caring for him. Protecting him from the severe depression and guilt of losing his Grandma and seeing her being taken. The creature wanted to share that pain with him, lighten the load in a way. He sighed.

"Branch, you don't look too good," Poppy noted as she ran a hand along his cheek, he tried to brave a smile, but he felt weak. The last couple days were taking their toll, leaving him feeling weary and needing to sleep. He hoped some sleep might clear things up for him, point him in the direction of the missing link. He needed to know why he had disconnected from the Howler. Was there unfinished business or had his soul found another to connect with? He looked over at Poppy, knowing that his soul had found another, however, he still wondered if there was something more.

"Just a bit tired," He told her in his best persuasive voice.

"I don't believe you," She countered as she helped him onto the bed, a small groan leaving his lips as he settled down. His side was in agony and he felt nauseous and dizzy.

"You need Doctor Bloom,"

"No, I need rest. Just give me a couple hours. I'll be fine," He tried again. He wanted to avoid the Doctor at all costs. He didn't think much to her and certainly didn't want bed bounding. He just needed sleep, and all would be well, he was almost certain of it. Poppy wanted to fight back but thought better of it, instead she opted to sit on the chair beside Branch's bed, flicking through the book they had been reading about the Howler as Branch closed his eyes and drifted off…

" _Branch…" An almost ghostly voice rippled through the darkness. Branch spun around in circles, desperately trying to find the owner of the voice. He recognised it, it was the voice that had been imbedded in his memory forever, one he thought he'd never hear again. Then, almost like magic, he spotted her. His Grandmother. He ran for what felt like forever, each step he took he felt like he was taking two steps back. It was as though he was destined never to reach her._

" _Grandma!" He shouted urgently, frustration setting in. Then she disappeared._

" _Branch, you need to sort this out," He spun around to find her stood there behind him. He reached out hesitantly, not believing she was truly here. She smiled at him delicately before cupping his cheek. He grinned as he hugged her tightly, embracing the moment._

" _Branch, your soul needs you," He looked up at her, feeling confused._

" _What do you mean?"_

" _Your soul isn't whole. It is still tainted by darkness, Branch, and you know why…" She looked at him sadly. He stared back at her, feeling almost blank._

" _But…I'm happy…"_

" _You might be happy, Branch, and believe me, my dear, your colours are beautiful, but your soul is still suffering. It is tormented by guilt,"_

" _Guilt?" He questioned her, his face dropping as his brain worked hard trying to comprehend the situation before him. He knew this wasn't real, even though he desperately wished she was here, and he knew he didn't want her to talk about this. He wanted her to sing him that lullaby in her sweet voice, he wanted her to read him a story, he wanted her back._

" _That creature cannot rest until your soul is at peace. It is struggling Branch, it needs you. You still hate yourself for what happened to me, you need to stop blaming yourself,"_

" _But it is my fault. If I had not been so lost in-"_

" _Stop!" His grandma's stern voice cut him off, "You are my special boy, Branch, but you aren't to blame. You didn't make that Bergen take me,"_

" _But if I wasn't sing-"_

" _Then what, dear? All that would have happened is that that Bergen might have taken someone else. It could have still been me, or even you or even the King," She reminded him. Branch nodded, but he felt his heart aching. He couldn't forgive himself._

" _I need your forgiveness, too,"_

" _There's nothing to forgive, my sweet boy," She smiled at him, pulling him close and laying a kiss on his forehead. He held her tightly, not wanting to let go of her._

" _Forgive yourself, let that beautiful young troll you have bear some of that pain, tell her how you feel and you will soon realise you are not to blame," She murmured in his ear, Branch held in his sob as he tried to squeeze her tighter, but found his arms went straight through and to his body. He fell to his knees and wept, mourning her loss again…_


	9. Chapter 9

**I do not own Trolls.**

 **Chapter Nine**

Branch felt numb after his dream. The loss of his Grandma felt like it was repeating on him, he felt all that guilt flooding back, his heart felt heavy and the pain almost unbearable. He knew his Grandma wished for him to forgive himself, but he found it harder than he initially thought. Although it sounded easy to the ears, and he wanted with all his heart to have woken up with a guilt free conscience, but he just couldn't do it. Spending twenty years with that sort of heavy burden couldn't easily be sorted. Branch sighed.

"What's wrong?" Poppy asked softly, walking up beside him and taking hold of his hand. They were travelling out in the forest, ready to tackle this beast that had been causing chaos. The other Trolls from their small group were behind them, singing along to some nonsense song Branch had chosen to ignore. It might be sunny and warm outside, but Branch felt like he was in a dark and cold environment.

"Just thinking," He murmured quietly as they walked along together. Poppy felt worried for him, she couldn't understand what was wrong. He had been off since waking up from his rest. When he woke up he barely said a word, the only words that left his mouth was when he demanded they left to find the Howler within the next hour. She didn't like the idea of approaching this creature with no plan behind them, and she couldn't believe that Branch, the most organised and self-efficient Troll going, wanted to leave with nothing planned either. It irked her deeply, not knowing what was happening in his head. She wanted desperately to help him, but he seemed completely shut off. There was a brick wall blocking her out, and every time she tried to knock it down, it got stronger. She tried to climb over it, but he pushed her back down again.

"Thinking about what? Branch, something is wrong, you can't fool m-"

"Shhh," He shushed her, placing his finger on her lips. She stood frozen.

"The Howler?" She asked, fear shaking through her. Even her friends had haltered behind them, concern on their face as they went on the defence.

"Maybe…" He whispered, beginning to step forward ahead of her.

"There is no Howler, is there? You just said that, so I'd stop talking!" She almost shouted at him, frustration and anger coursing through her. She'd fell for that trick again, and what bothered her most was that he had used the Howler to scare her!

"Maybe…" He whispered again. She gritted her teeth.

"You can't keep avoiding me!" She screamed at him. All her friends stood to attention, obviously feeling awkward at whatever was going on between the two lovers.

"We are just going to…" Satin started.

"Wait over there…" Chenille finished as they pointed to the side, all of them quickly ushering away from the couple.

Branch stood still, his shoulders suddenly drooped as he turned to face her, tears pricking at his eyes, but he fought hard to stop them from falling. Poppy, seeing the pain in his eyes, ran over to him where she held him in a tight hug, and to her surprise he held her back even tighter. It felt as though he depended on her for his strength and it warmed her slightly feeling needed by him.

"You can tell me anything," She assured him, wiping away a loose tear that managed to escape him. He tried to turn his head away from her, but she turned it back to face her. She smiled at him softly.

"It's… It's my Grandma," He admitted, releasing a large breath he hadn't even realised he'd been holding.

"What about her?" Poppy knew what had happened to her, she knew that Branch had previously blamed himself, and it suddenly dawned on her that maybe he still suffered with that turmoil.

"I saw her…in my dreams. She was there, it felt real. I could…" He drifted off, trying to hold back a sob. He hated feeling so weak in front of her. He didn't want her to see him like this. He wanted to be that hero she looked up to, he wanted to be the strong rock she could lean on. Instead, he felt like a complete mess that needed mopping up. Almost sensing his shame, she reached out, taking hold of both his hands and giving them a reassuring squeeze. She was allowing him to take this at his pace.

"I could get to her. I hugged her, and it made everything feel right in the world again. I could hear her voice. Usually I never get to do that…" Poppy realised at that moment that this wasn't the first dream he had had of his Grandmother, in fact, it seemed like it was one of many.

"What happened?" She tried to remain soft in her speech, not wanting to make him feel under pressure or scare him away from opening up to her.

"She wanted me to forgive myself for what happened, she knew it was a pain that I'd never really got over. She said it wasn't my fault, yet every time I think about it, it feels like it was my fault," He confessed. Poppy felt her heart break for him. She could see the agony in his eyes. Years of guilt must have really been heavy on him, he must have felt so alone carrying such torment for so long.

"Branch, it wasn't your fault. You were a young child, you were singing with passion, you were enjoying your life and your childhood. Your Grandmother would have watched you with love and felt proud of your confidence. When that Bergen came, they were going to take you. She saved you. She wanted you to live a full life, you know that," Poppy tried to reach out to him.

"But it was my fault. If I'd been paying more attention..."

"Then what? That Bergen might still have grabbed you. Your Grandma was being brave. She wouldn't have wanted you to suffer like this from her actions," Branch knew Poppy was right. He knew his Grandma was right.

"I wish she could have met you," Branch said, giving Poppy a half smile. She smiled back, giving him another hug.

"She would be proud of you, I'm positive of that. Just remember that," Poppy murmured to him, Branch nodded, pulling back. Before he could respond to her though they heard a thunderous howl, which left all the Trolls in the group on standby.

"Is it nearby?" DJ asked, fear contorting her face.

"I don't think so, but with night falling in, I don't doubt it will be soon," Branch warned them, quickly telling them to get a move on. Together they all made their way through trees and leaves, each of them keeping their eyes peeled. The Trolls moved hurriedly, not wanting to be left out in the open when the moon took its place in the sky. They needed cover.

Branch used the travel time to think over everything. Sharing his problems with Poppy helped, it felt like it had lifted a black cloud from over him. He didn't feel like he was drowning under water anymore, instead he felt like he could breathe. He knew what he needed to do, he just needed to dig deep to discover how.

"Branch!" Poppy almost screeched as she yanked him into an empty log, their friends stood behind them. Branch looked over at Poppy, but all she did was point outside and mimic the action of what seemed like a lion. However, he soon realised what she meant. He etched towards the end of the log, peering around the corner cautiously. Time had passed faster than he thought, in fact, it had passed so much that the moon was beaming up in the sky. It's glow dominating the stars and the darkness of the forest. It was a full moon. Then he spotted it, out there in the distance, stood proud on top of a large boulder, its chest pushed out proudly as it howled into the moon. Branch found the Howler's actions strange. The beast's primal instincts were clearly more in control than he initially thought.

Branch spotted that under the creature's paw was a small object. It looked almost purple, not much bigger than him from what he could tell.

"What is it?" Poppy asked as she peeked her head out of the log to look where Branch was watching. She could see the creature pinning something down.

"Branch, that thing is alive!" Poppy almost cried out as she raced out of the log. Branch shouted after her, cursing under his breath as he ran out after her. The creature growled in their direction. Its red eyes stared holes into them before it leant down, grabbing the thing from under it's paw and throwing it into the air. Branch grabbed Poppy's hand to pull her back just as they heard a loud squeal from the thing in the air. Poppy's face dropped.

"Creek!" She shouted out confused, Branch pulling a face as he stared at the sky.

"I don't believe it," Branch almost growled. The Howler's head turned to stare at them. Poppy's voice had distracted the beast from it's dinner. They watched as Creek fell to the floor. Poppy went to run over, but Branch pulled her back, yanking her back into the empty log.

"Did you say, Creek?" The other Trolls were quick to pounce on her.

"Yeah…" Poppy sighed, her head feeling confused. She wondered how he could even be alive…

"He's a traitor, he deserves to be eaten," Branch almost spat.

"But-" Poppy was cut off when the log was knocked, sending the Trolls into the side. Branch groaned as he tried to stand up, but he fell back when he saw the crimson eye staring into the log from the side where they had entered through. Branch gulped as he looked at the others. It wasn't going to end well.


	10. Chapter 10

**I do not own Trolls**

 **Chapter Ten**

"Quick this way!" Branch shouted, grabbing Poppy's hand and running towards the opposite side of the log where there was a clear exit laid out for them. The others followed him willingly, only just missing the creature's large paw trying to grab them. Branch led the Trolls to safety behind a tree, but Poppy was still peering around, clearly looking for something.

"What about Creek?" She asked Branch.

"What about him?" He practically spat out, folding his arms and glaring. Creek was nothing but trouble, he betrayed them, left them to be eaten, and yet Poppy wants to stop him from being eaten? Branch decided that wasn't happening. Creek was on his own.

"Branch! We can't just leave him!" Poppy looked exasperated, arms flailing in the air.

"Sure, we can," Branch answered casually, peering around the trunk of the tree to see the creature sniffing the floor. It wouldn't be long till it found them.

"Fine. You can. I'm going back. No Troll left behind!" Poppy told him. Branch growled under his breath. He hated how stubborn Poppy was and he detested the fact that she couldn't see the negative in people.

"No, you aren't!" He argued, grabbing her hand. Although he felt angry about her risking herself for the sake of that liar, he couldn't help the worry building up inside him at the possibilities of what could happen to her. He couldn't risk her getting hurt or worse…

"Branch, I'm going back for Creek. With or without you," Poppy informed him sternly, yet her eyes were pleading with him. She wanted his help and for him to be on her side. Branch clenched his fist in frustration as he looked around at the others. They were all looking at him, almost begging him to agree. It baffled him how they could all be so caring towards Creek after everything he did to them. Branch groaned and rolled his eyes.

"Fine," He muttered, "But you follow my lead," He ordered. Poppy almost beamed as she agreed, moving behind him so he could get a better view of the situation. Branch knew that the Howler wasn't likely to move anytime soon. It was waiting for them to show themselves. It had gone from trying to sniff them out to sitting near an unconscious Creek. It was using him as bait. Branch narrowed his eyes. The creature was cunning.

"Right, we need to move from above. If we go up the trees and swing along to that one over there," Branch moved his arm, his finger pointing to said destination.

"Then we can drop down and grab Creek without the creature spotting us," Poppy finished, quickly getting on board with Branch's brainwave.

"Hopefully. But at least if we are in the trees we are less likely to get eaten," Branch added on. The others looked grateful for that line of thinking. Without another word spoken the Trolls did as planned, climbing the tree trunk to hide amongst the shrubbery at the top. They leaped from tree to tree, using their hair for support and swinging between them. Branch, though, couldn't help watching Poppy. She was deep in concentration, her mind clearly set on the rescue mission ahead. He admired her determination, but he hated who it was all for. He knew Poppy had had a small crush on Creek before they bonded and that left him feeling defensive and… Well, he didn't want to think of that other one. He refused to be jealous of that traitor.

"Right, we just need to drop down and quickly grab him," Branch whispered to the others as he peered through the leaves to see Creek's exact position below them. He needed a quick and smooth sweep to avoid the attraction of the Howler.

"Okay, Satin, Chenille," Poppy looked at the twins, "You support Biggie. Biggie can you use your hair to support Branch?" Biggie nodded, "Branch, I'm going to grab Creek if you can keep hold of me?" She looked at him. She was relying on Branch, she trusted him with all her heart to keep her safe. Branch thought for a moment but soon agreed knowing Poppy's mind was set and that was that. They got into formation before slowly dropping down. Biggie had his hair wrapped around Branch's waist and Branch had his around Poppy as they lowered down. Poppy stretched out her hand, trying to grab Creek, while Branch kept his eyes on the creature, making sure it didn't notice them. If that thing caught them then it was game over.

Poppy bit her lip in concentration as she used her hair to scoop Creek's body up. He was still limp and there was a lump on his head. She worried he may have concussion, which meant it was even more urgent they got him to safety. Poppy looked up at Branch with her thumb up, Branch replicating the action to Biggie who began to heave them back up, the twins pulling his body with their hair to help. Guy diamond and Smidge were on opposite sides of Biggie, getting ready to help their friends back into the tree safely. Creek began to stir and grumble as they pulled him onto the trunk. His eyes blinked a few times. He was clearly dazed.

"Poppy?" He whispered, his hand reaching out and stroking Poppy's cheek. She smiled slightly as she leant over him from her kneeling position. It relieved her knowing he was okay. The others began to cheer in excitement, but Branch hushed them all. He was far from happy and didn't think a celebration was in order. As far as Branch was concerned, he would have left Creek to be food. Branch looked down from where they were to see the creature staring right back up at him. It knew. Branch watched as the Howler stared at him, cocking its head to the side. It didn't seem shocked. In fact, Branch wondered if it had planned this all along. However, if that was the case, Branch wondered why it would want Creek to be saved?

Branch looked over at the Trolls as they all fussed around Creek who was finally sat up. Branch rolled his eyes, folding his arms and turning his back to them. He felt anger and resentment. He felt frustrated at the situation. He even felt... jealous. Poppy was all over Creek and it left Branch feeling furious. Would she leave him now that her original crush was back in the picture? Did she want to save him just because she's a good person, or was it to rekindle a love that never got a chance to blossom? Branch growled to himself, hating himself for thinking such vile thoughts.

He had no reason to think that was the case, yet his mind ran wild with nightmares about it…

 **XoXoXoXoX**

The journey back was uneventful apart from having to sneak away from the Howler and Branch groaning and growling behind the group about Creek. Branch was infuriated, and he had made sure everyone knew about it. Arriving back to Bergen Town, though, was more peaceful for Creek as he was seen to almost instantly by Doctor Bloom who assessed his injuries and helped make him more comfortable in bed in her make shift hospital room kindly provided to her by the Bergens. The Troll friends had fussed around him, wanting to know every detail of how he survived being eaten by the monster. He revealed how he had caught the monster's uvula, or the 'dangly thing' as he had described it, which had caused the monster to gag and spit him out.

"What happened to Chef?" Biggie asked, shaking slightly at the memory of her. Mr Dinkles meeped at the mention of her name.

"Eaten and digested as far as I'm aware," Creek responded without missing a beat. They all released a sigh of relief at that. Poppy asked the others to leave politely. They all left quietly bar Branch who stood in the corner, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

"Poppy, thank you for saving my life. I am in a great deal of debt to you," Creek smiled at Poppy as he held her hand.

"Creek, you have a lot of making up to do. I'm sorry doesn't cover the harm and hurt you inflicted on us as your friends," Poppy reminded him of his bitter betrayal. Creek looked away ashamed.

"I know, Poppy, and I vow to prove my worth not just to the Village… But to you," He murmured the last part, his eyes looking into Poppy's. She smiled at him. The moment broken only by Branch's loud cough. Poppy looked at him curiously.

"A word?" Branch just about managed to mutter through gritted teeth. Poppy looked at Creek one more time before heading out the door with Branch onto the branch of the tree outside.

"What's your problem, Branch?" Poppy asked feeling frustrated at him. She was fed up of his negativity and clear resentment of Creek.

"We went out there to stop that creature and end this mayhem, yet, here we are, back here again except with an added bit of luggage!" Branch spat out, pointing at the pod that Creek was in.

"Branch!" Poppy shouted at him, "You need to get over this anger problem you've got. I wasn't going to leave a Troll to get eaten! No decent Troll would." She pointed out, folding her arms.

"Poppy, he betrayed all of us. He led the Bergens to the Village, he left us all to be eaten and die. Yet you jump at saving him? You let him come back here and you all forgive him like that!" Branch clicked his fingers together to emphasise his point. Poppy glared at him.

"You are being irrational, Branch. I don't know what is going on in your head right now, but you need to calm down and take a breath. I brought him back here to heal up and then we will decide what to do afterwards. He wishes to get forgiveness and I've told him he must prove himself. I'm willing to give him a second chance. Everyone is. You need to get on board, Branch, otherwise that fury you have building inside of you will be your downfall," By the end she no longer looked angry, instead, she looked sad. It made Branch's heart hurt to see her upset with him. He wanted to make her happy, but more importantly, he wanted to keep her safe.

Branch looked away, biting his lip. He was frustrated that Poppy wouldn't listen to him, but he also wondered if maybe she was right. Should he follow her lead or trust his gut? He felt conflicted. He formed fists with his hands as he took a deep breath. He closed his eyes for a moment before turning away from Poppy and leaping off the tree branch onto the next one. He needed to get away. He needed time to think. He only had one goal in mind now, and that was stopping that Howler, and it was clear Poppy was going to be too busy to help...

That thought hurt him deeply.


	11. Chapter 11

**I do not own Trolls.**

 **Chapter Eleven**

Branch sat on a tree trunk, taking shelter under the leaves. The rain was pelting down, hard and fast, which left the atmosphere feeling cold and dense. Branch brought his knees up to his chest, trying to maintain some form of warmth. He gazed out at the dreary scenery. The ground was filled with sink holes from the heavy showers and the once soft and dry soil was now nothing more than a mushy mess. The sky was as dark as tar and he couldn't see a single star in the sky through the depths of the black clouds. Branch felt the weather reflected his emotions and somehow it made him feel comforted. He felt connected to the earth in that moment. He breathed in deeply, closing his eyes. His Grandma had always told him to listen to the earth when his world fell flat. She said there was magic amongst the ground, leaves and sky. She said the weather could whisper messages to you, be a guide in times of peril. He hoped he could connect to her through those means, he wanted nothing more than to be guided.

Upon opening his eyes Branch saw a leaf floating in front of him. The leaf was a blended colour of purple, green and brown. It wasn't quite Autumn nor was it Summer. He felt the crossover suited it. The leaf casually flew closer to him, stealing his gaze, and with no further cues he stood up, watching the leaf twirl and dance amongst the wind and rain. Branch felt it was a sign, and with nothing else left to follow, he made his way behind the floating bit of nature. He prayed it was who he thought it was. He desperately wanted it to be. It was moments like these when he missed his Grandma most.

He followed the trail so far but fell short when the leaf collapsed to the ground. It was almost as if the wind had just given up. Just disappeared. He looked around, suddenly feeling suspicious and as though the atmosphere was crushing him. He looked around the area, trying to figure out what was being spoken to him.

Then he saw it…

 **XoXoXoXoXoX**

Poppy paced back and forth, her hands clasped behind her back. She was deep in thought and drowning in worry. She hadn't seen Branch in nearly two days and no one had heard or seen him either. She knew he was upset with the Creek situation, but she didn't think he'd just do a runner. She had even been to check his bunker, which is where he usually went off to when he wanted sulk, however, he wasn't there. She had tried checking every place she could think of but there was no sign of him. Her friends were currently asking around the Villagers, trying to see if someone had seen something. Poppy blamed herself for not listening to him. She should have shown more compassion and understanding to his opinions, yet, instead, she decided she knew what was best. Maybe helping Creek wasn't her best decision if it meant losing Branch…

"Poppy?" Creek's voice sounded delicate and caring, yet to Poppy's ears it felt like little knives stabbing her. He was the reason Branch was gone. She sighed, holding her body in her arms as she turned around, trying to give Creek her best confident smile. She didn't want to show him any weakness, she needed to maintain composure. She was Queen after all.

"Yes?"

"You seem stressed," Creek noted as he moved closer to her, Poppy taking a step back, startled by his movements.

"Nothing I cannot handle," Poppy tried to shake him off, desperately wanting out of the situation. She couldn't even entertain the idea of Creek right now. Her mind needed to be focussed on Branch. What she desperately wanted to do was to search for Branch. She had a feeling he had gone into the forest searching for that creature, and that thought alone struck fear into her heart.

"I have something you might want," That caught Poppy's attention.

"What would that be?"

"First," Creek stepped closer to Poppy till he was nearly toe to toe with her, "I want something in return. Nothing is free after all," He flashed her what she called only describe as a devious grin. She felt tense as she observed him, trying to get some hint of what he was up to.

"How do I know you aren't just trying to play me?" Poppy challenged him.

"It is up to you, Poppy, to decide," He was trying to be mysterious, but Poppy just found him to be aggravating and untrusting.

"You're wasting my time," Poppy almost growled as she tried to push passed him, but a hand on her wrist holding her in place stopped her. She could feel the fingers around her wrists pressing hard into her skin, she felt herself suck in a breath at the sharp pain. She had never seen this side of Creek before and it frightened her. She tried hard to keep her face still, not wanting to let him see he was scaring her. She refused to give him control.

"I guess you aren't interested in saving Branch then?" Creek's eyes looked evil under the light and Poppy found herself stiffening at his gaze. Did he really know where Branch was?

"How do I know you aren't lying?"

"You don't, but Branch's life might depend on you at this point," Creek smirked at her.

 **XoXoXoXoXoXoX**

Branch woke to a headache brewing in his head, an ache circulating through his body and he felt like he was on the verge of being sick. He rolled over with a cough, his arms falling over his sides and stomach as he heaved. He felt strange, it was almost as though he wasn't even in his own body. He opened his eyes one by one to see the sky was still black which left him feeling confused. Where was the sun? Surely it was day time. He blinked a few times, taking a few shaky breaths. He desperately wanted to sit up, but found his body was practically paralysed. What had happened? Where was he? He tried hard to remember what had happened, but he couldn't remember anything. Everything seemed fuzzy and confusing…

He could feel something soft and warm at his back, it felt like fur… He tried to force his body around, but the agony caused him to freeze. He couldn't breathe through the discomfort his body was forcing him to feel. He closed his eyes instead, taking deep breaths, trying to understand what was happening and why. He hoped that Poppy was safe, even if he wasn't…

He felt around behind him best he could with his hands and found that his suspicions were right. It was fur.

"Howler?" Branch murmured feeling unsure and cautious. In response the creature behind let out a deep growl which vibrated the ground around him. Branch released a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. He suddenly felt worried. He couldn't tell if he safe or in danger, but what he did know was that he was in a lot of pain and needed care sooner rather than later…


	12. Chapter 12

**I do not own Trolls.**

 **Chapter Twelve**

"Take me to Branch. Now." Poppy tried to sound menacing, but her voice faltered. She found Creek to be intimidating, something about him, something about his eyes, it screamed evil. She felt a shiver down her spine as his breath hit her skin. He was too close to her. He was trying to frighten her, but she tried to stay strong.

"Not until I get what I want," His words nothing more than a whisper, but they felt more like blaring torments stabbing at her. It felt like they were ripping into her.

"You can't have me."

"I don't want you," Creek practically spat out, "I want your Kingdom. I want the Trolls. I want to be their King,"

"I would die before I let you near my people!" Poppy retaliated, her anger dripping from her words. Creek shoved Poppy against a wall, his hand tightly wrapped around her throat.

"That can be arranged," He gritted out. His eyes glared into Poppy's. Poppy couldn't help but look away. Her body felt stiff with fear. He soon released her, causing her to drop to the floor where she gasped for air.

"But first you need to marry me. I can be King and then you can a have choice,"

"A choice?" Poppy coughed out as she rubbed her throat.

"Be my partner, run the Kingdom with me,"

"Or what?" Poppy couldn't resist challenging, but she soon regretted the choice.

"Or you and that boyfriend of yours will die!" He warned her. Poppy nodded slowly, her head feeling fuzzy. This wasn't Creek. This couldn't be Creek. The Creek she knew was humble and spiritual, prior to his betrayal, but this Creek… He was beyond words. Something had changed in him and it shook her down to her core.

"Where is Branch?" Poppy managed to ask. She needed to know.

"I'll tell you when you've done the deed,"

"Tell me now otherwise I won't do it. I need to see him alive." Creek laughed a full-hearted deep belly laugh. He strolled casually towards her, pulling her up to her feet where he ran a finger over her cheek.

"Why? Don't you trust me?" He grinned before tapping her nose. That action brought back a lot of emotions for Poppy, but none could compare to the ones she felt for him now. He had turned a once innocent and sweet gesture into a form of torment.

"Take me to him. Now." Poppy tried to order Creek again.

"Do you intend on giving me what I want?" Creek asked, assessing her body language as he did.

"If Branch is alive and rescued. Yes,"

"I need you to promise, Poppy," He looked bored and unamused with the conversation now.

"I…I…" Poppy stuttered, images of Branch flashing in her head. Her heart ached, her head hurt, and she was filled with regret. She should have listened to him…

"I promise…"

 **XoXoXoXoX**

Branch blinked a few times, trying to remove his blurry vision. He felt sick to his stomach and still felt dizzy and in agony. He had no idea how long he had been out here or any idea of what had happened. He kept getting odd flashes of memory. Purple blur. A bat. A voice… he couldn't add the hints together to find a conclusion. His head was too fuzzy to even try. Branch's breathing felt ragged as he tried to move around, needing to know where he was. He could see he was in a cave, he could see it was dark out. He could hear the rain and feel the breeze from outside. He could hear a soft growl behind him and with pure pain and motivation he forced himself to turn over where he came face to face with the beast. The creature gazed into his eyes and for a moment Branch didn't feel like he was in danger.

Branch, without thought, reached out and gently stroked along the Howler's muzzle. The animal, while extremely large in comparison to Branch, acted kindly and gently with him. It nuzzled his hand before licking him. The tongue wet most of his body and with the forced movement he couldn't help but shout in agony. The wolf like animal cried out, clearly upset with the pain it had inflicted. Branch couldn't work it out. Why was this creature against him one moment, but with him the next? He couldn't understand what was happening. He thought the creature was stuck in this realm because of the guilt he felt about his Grandmother's death, however, he started to wonder if the book was accurate…

"Are you protecting me?" Branch managed to ask. He needed answers and Branch could feel a connection with this animal. It could hear him and understand him, Branch was sure of that. Branch noted the gentle tilt of the head from the Howler. He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. At least this meant he was safe, but what he didn't understand was how or even why. His Grandmother's book described Howler's as being negative and depressed. They were created from the darkness of a soul. The book detailed the creatures to be protective, but once losing connection they became, well… an animal. So why was this creature far from this? He had seen the beast attack, so why does it now choose to care?

Branch closed his eyes, the mystery leaving him tired and with a sore head. He wanted desperately to understand. He let out a long-held breath before looking at the creature again, it was pushing an object towards him with its moist nose. He tried to reach for it, but he couldn't focus enough to guide his hand. The creature released what Branch could only describe as an exasperated sigh. It almost made him chuckle.

"What is it?" He asked, trying to feel the ground beside him for it. He heard a grunt before watching the Howler retreat and lay down away from him. It watched him from it's place, clearly eager to see his reaction. Branch's fingertips finally touched something other than dirt and rock. It was soft. He squinted hard as he yanked it over him. It was…

"How?" Branch whispered, running his hand over the stitched fabric in front of him. It was an old blanket. One his Grandma had made him before her untimely death. It was a blanket filled with memories and love. He hadn't seen it in years…

"Why do you have this? How do you have this…" Branch whispered the last part, a pot of emotions bubbling inside of him. He couldn't understand. First his bear and Poppy's cowbell and now this. It just didn't make sense to him. He needed to investigate. He needed to move. He needed help…

 **XoXoXoXoX**

Poppy walked through the forest with Creek. He had tied her hands tight, his hand gripping her arm forcefully as he pushed her along. He was taking no chances with her. He clearly didn't trust her, but then again, she didn't trust him either. They walked for what felt like hours before Creek finally threw Poppy to her knees as he stepped forward. Poppy could see the confusion on his face as he approached a tree. Poppy could see him grab what looked like broken rope.

"Where is he?" Poppy demanded. Something was wrong.

"I… I don-" Creek started, but his words soon fell flat as he stood up straight. He stormed towards Poppy, grabbing her by her hair and yanking her up.

"Do you know about this?" Creek threatened her, shoving her face towards the scene at hand. Poppy could see the rope from before, but as she looked closer she could also see what looked like a bat and…

"Blood…" Poppy almost sobbed, her heart stopping for a moment at the thought of Branch dead.

"You killed him!" Poppy screamed as she went to lunge at him, her fury getting the better of her. She soon felt a sharp slap that caused her to crash to the ground. She pushed herself to her knees before moving her cuffed hands to rub her sore, red cheek. He'd hit her.

"I didn't kill him. He was beaten, but alive. My creature is even gone," Creek muttered the last part to himself as he paced. He looked as confused as she felt. However, she couldn't let go of what he had said.

"What creature?" She dared to ask. Did he mean the Howler? Was he the reason it was here and not Branch? The book did mention evil…

"Poppy," Creek sighed, spinning on his heel to look at her, "You ask far too many questions, my dear," He crouched down in front of her, placing his index finger under her chin he lifted her head gently, the action seemed almost caring…

"Can't you see that I'm trying to help you," Poppy felt repulsed by him. He was delusional.

"Where is he?" Poppy was desperate now.

"Gone, clearly," Creek almost chuckled.


End file.
